Fans wild about Lofton's return to the Tribe

40-year-old outfielder happy to be back for his third incarnation as an Indian

Andy Call

Never before has a man been cheered like this for lifting a suitcase.

Dozens of fans pressed their faces against the bars of the fence surrounding the players’ parking lot Friday afternoon at Jacobs Field when Kenny Lofton’s car pulled up to the entrance. They hollered Lofton’s name when he opened the trunk. They applauded when he took out a duffel bag. When he lifted a Texas Rangers bat bag and placed it on the ground, they screamed themselves hoarse.

Yes, it’s true. Kenny’s back in town.

“I missed being in Cleveland,” Lofton said shortly after beginning his third go-round with the Indians. “I’ve always followed the Indians. I’ve always cheered for the Browns, the Cavs ... I’m a Cleveland fan.”

The 40-year-old outfielder played for the Indians from 1992-96 and 1998-2001. He began this season with Texas before coming to the Indians in a trade that sent minor-league catcher Max Ramirez to the Rangers.

Fans cheered Lofton while he jogged in the outfield before Friday night’s game against Minnesota. They cheered even more loudly when the scoreboard showed highlights of Lofton’s heyday with the Tribe, including his memorable scaling the center-field wall to rob B.J. Surhoff of a home run in 1996.

When Lofton caught Joe Mauer’s fly ball for the final out of the first inning, fans in the left-field bleachers went crazy, and he showed them a little love by tossing the ball into the stands. When Lofton came up to bat in the bottom half of the inning, the resulting ovation lasted 30 seconds. He removed his batting helmet, lifted it into the air and tipped it toward each section of fans.

The six-time All-Star led the American League in stolen bases five consecutive years (1992-96) and ranks 12th on baseball’s all-time list with 620 steals. He has a career .299 batting average and .372 on-base percentage.

Perhaps the most compelling statistic attached to Lofton, however, is his having appeared in the postseason 10 times in the last 12 years.

“Our roster isn’t full of postseason experience,” said Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro, who pursued a Lofton trade for about two weeks.

“He’s been there more than a few times,” Cleveland left-hander C.C. Sabathia said. “He can teach us a few things about how to finish off. Maybe if we had had him in ‘05, we would have made the playoffs.”

Lofton’s experience, and talent, has made him a well-traveled major-leaguer.

“Sometimes you call guys the wrong name,” Lofton admitted. “I feel bad about that but, man, I’ve been with, like, eight teams in two years. Good thing they’ve got names on the back of the jerseys. I’ll tell them to turn around so I know who they are.”

The Indians already have a two-time All-Star center fielder and leadoff hitter in Grady Sizemore, so Lofton will shift to left field and bat second. His only previous experience in left field came during an All-Star game.

“When the ball’s hit, I’m going to try to get it,” Lofton said. “Of course, it might look a little funny at first.”

Indians Manager Eric Wedge said the plan is to have Lofton start against most right-handers and Jason Michaels against most left-handers. Michaels and Lofton, oddly enough, were platoon outfielders at Philadelphia in 2005.

Lofton was batting .303 with a .380 on-base percentage at Texas and had stolen 21 bases in 25 attempts.

“We have a lot more (speed and athleticism) this year because of the people we have, and, with Kenny, we can continue to push that,” Wedge said. “It’s amazing what he’s still able to do.”

One thing Lofton is able to do is joke about his age.

“It’s the new Tribe here,” Lofton said. “But, you have to put a little old with the new. That’s my piece to the puzzle, I guess.”

Ramirez, 22, came to the Indians in the trade that sent closer Bob Wickman to Atlanta last June. He was batting .303 with 12 home runs for Single-A Kinston and played in the Futures Game in San Francisco earlier this month.

The Indians will assume the remaining $2.5 million of Lofton’s $6-million salary.

Fans who loved the Indians teams of the 1990s will love the fact that one of the first people Lofton called to tell about the trade was catcher and former teammate Sandy Alomar Jr.